Statement: Safeguarding UNRWA

Statement by H.E. Ms. Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir, 
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland
Ministerial meeting: Safeguarding UNRWA: Protecting Humanitarian Action and Upholding its General Assembly Mandate
24 September 2026

As a regular donor of UNRWA since the early 2000s, Iceland remains fully committed to supporting UNRWA’s crucial efforts in alleviating the plight of Palestinian refugees.

I was devastated when I heard the reports of people trapped under rubble when a war-damaged residential building collapsed in Gaza last week. I want to express my condolences to the families of those that lost their lives and my gratitude to those working to rescue the survivors.

This clearly shows the scale of the work ahead of us in Gaza and the levels of assistance and aid that people there are in need of. We have to ensure people have a safe place to shelter, to rest, and to recover.

For that to happen we need to bring in much more supplies than we are already doing, not least now as winter approaches and temperatures will start falling. Gaza needs construction materials, heavy machinery, specialized equipment, engine oil and fuel, in addition to tents, tarpaulins and other non-food items. There are 330,000 families in Gaza in need of dignified shelter, and it is up to us to ensure they receive it.

Overall, the situation in Gaza remains unacceptable. Despite the ceasefire, humanitarian access remains unjustifiably restricted. This situation is exacerbating an already devastating humanitarian crisis. This cannot be allowed to continue.

The International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion makes clear that UNRWA must be a part of the humanitarian effort. It should also be noted that earlier this year Iceland intervened in South Africa’s case against Israel before that same court.

Iceland has a framework agreement with UNRWA which runs until 2028, providing timely, predictable and flexible core funding. Since 2022, Iceland has contributed over 1,2 billion Icelandic Crowns to UNRWA, or around 10 million USD.

Iceland recognised the State of Palestine in 2011 and have since been a strong advocate for its future. The Two-State Solution remains the only viable path to sustainable peace and security.

We see UNRWA playing a key role in building the foundations needed for that vision to materialize, in the post-conflict and reconstruction phase, across all fields of operation.